Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with odor

Does dog meat taste like dogs smell?

stargell — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:38:47 -0800

Does dog taste like dogs smell? Not that I'd ever be tempted, but . . . dogs have a distinctive, not unpleasant odor. Is that what dog meat tastes like?

Happy to sweat, but not to stink

Anonymous — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:00:23 -0800

Is there an effective aluminum-free deodorant? There have been quite a few deodorant questions on Ask, but none of them are quite what I'm looking for. I need an aluminum-free deodorant because my doctor told me that I should use one, but as a woman they are very difficult to find, at least in my experience. I've been using men's Speed Stick for years (the woman's counterpart contains aluminium) and it's generally fine but sometimes -- especially now that I'm in a high stress environment in a hotter climate than I'm used to -- it doesn't cut it. I don't mind using men's deodorant, I don't care what it smells like, I just want it to work! Tom's of Maine irritated my skin a lot when I used it, so that is out. I also found it to be much less effective than the Speed Stick. The deodorant rocks that people always bring up in deodorant threads appear to basically be solid aluminum (am I wrong about this?) so that is out as well.

I'm not concerned about sweat or wetness; I just don't want to smell like I didn't shower. I do shower, every morning, so that isn't the problem. This doesn't happen all of the time; it seems to be when I'm in a high-pressure situation or when I'm wearing long sleeves.

I've also noticed that my nice sweaters (mostly 100% cashmere) have a smell sort of embedded in them that dry cleaning won't remove. They smell fine until they're on my body for about an hour, and then I think that my body heat, or possibly the new sweat, activates this scent. Is there any hope for wearing these again? I've had them dry cleaned and that didn't do a thing, much to my embarrassment. Are these sweaters ruined, or can they somehow be saved?

Should I be considering perfume or a body spray or something else? I don't really like wearing perfume, and I don't want to smell like anything in particular; I would prefer to smell mild or like nothing at all. I also think that perfume would just be masking the smell and not getting at the root of the problem.

How?!: Perfume Smell OUT of Laundry.

Shane — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:12:42 -0800

Is it possible to get cologne smell out of clothing? I kind of "inherited" a half-dozen nice sweaters that reek of perfume, and I'm allergic as well. I've tried mucho baking soda and soaking in the wash machine; haven't tried vinegar yet; past (somewhat related) threads suggest Ozium and Synthrapol, but they're really not for this purpose.

Deodoranting..

Anonymous — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:49:50 -0800

My body has become immune to every deodorant I've tried. I need advice regarding a heavy duty deodorant which won't stain the armpits of my shirts. I have tried the major brand stick deodorants, baking soda, and was using salt crystal for nearly a year before my body suddenly overcame its power.

I use certain-dri for antiperspirant and it works like a charm, but no matter what I use for deodorant, by the end of the day I can smell my body odor.

Throwaway e-mail: anon.deodorant@gmail.com

(Anonymous because coworkers, friends, and family trace me to this site and I want to resolve this before it becomes their issue.)

How to mask smelly farts?

Anonymous — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 15:15:21 -0800

How to mask smelly farts? Is there something my partner can put in his underwear or near his butt to make him less smelly? Like a charcoal pad to sit on, or even better, something to insert into his underwear?

He tries to put a pillow over his butt to block the smell so he can sit next to me on the couch. It doesn't work perfectly and the pillow ends up smelling like it might actually hurt your lungs. That is the level of smell we're talking about here. He is so embarrassed if he thinks I notice anything. I can't imagine how he feels if he is at the office or on the train.

He is going to get tested for some medical conditions but it might take a while for the results. In the meantime it would be excellent if he could cuddle with me without feeling ashamed. It breaks my heart that he is so self-conscious about it. Please help.

Anosmia - is it forever?

terrierhead — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:06:14 -0800

Getting over a lousy cold/flu, can breathe again but can't smell anything. Is this permanent? I'm a 37 y/o female who until recently had an extremely good olfactory ability. My toddler twins brought home the superflu from their daycare last week. After more than a week of illness the whole family's on the mend. I ended up with an ear infection and am being treated with antibiotics.

Two days ago, I noticed that although my stuffy nose was clearing up, I still couldn't smell anything. A sip of wine tasted like acetone, and my toddlers' dirty diapers, which I usually identify from afar by their odor, became imperceptible by scent. My nose is still running today but I'm breathing through it just fine. And I can't smell a thing.

I've looked up information on anosmia (loss of sense of smell) and found that colds and flu can cause this to happen - but from a stuffy nose, which I don't have. I called my doctor's office and the nurse their told me not to worry, but I was still stuffy this morning and am not now. I called a local ask-a-nurse hotline and they freaked the hell out.

I'd like to refrain from freaking for a bit but also would like more information. Has anyone heard of this happening and then going away? Or should I start selling off my perfume collection? (I was a BPAL collector before the kids came along.)

Smelly couch, smelly couch, what are they feeding you?

drpynchon — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 19:31:22 -0800

How to deodorize a leather couch? I believe our five year old couch has slowly developed the odor of "overuse." Any tips on getting rid of this odor and general leather couch maintenance are much appreciated.

Suggestions for pet-proof rugs

mandapanda — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 09:27:09 -0800

Seeking recommendations for pet proof rugs (not wall-to-wall carpets) that feel and look great and really work My boyfriend has hardwood floors throughout his place, including the bedroom. Between the two of us, we have four dogs; two large, one medium, and one small. The pitter patter of little paws on hardwood floors is really getting to him when he tries to sleep. He refuses to get a rug for the bedroom on the grounds that it will absorb general dog smell and the smell from any accidents that may happen. I've looked into stain-resistant rugs, but I'm not sure how well they work on keeping out odors.

I'm looking for a large rug, 10' x 10' or somewhere in that area. My criteria are that it looks like it belongs inside a home, not on a deck or in an office, it feels comfy on the tootsies, it will absorb the noise made by all the little paws, and it won't absorb smells or stains. I'm not looking for carpeting, just a rug. Any and all suggestions are welcome. Thanks.

Is it safe for my pregnant wife to be around polyurethane fumes?

bingwah — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:09:49 -0800

I want to have 2 bedroom hardwood floors refinished. My wife is about 14 weeks pregnant. Is it safe for her to be in the house with the polyurethane fumes from the floor finish? I have a raised ranch house. The 2 bedrooms being refinished are on the upper level. We have another bedroom on the lower level on the opposite side of the house where we can sleep.

I know polyurethane and pregnancy do not mix but I figured she can mostly avoid the fumes by staying on the lower level as much as possible. The kitchen is on the upper level so there would be times when she's exposed to the fumes.

Are the fumes very dangerous? As an aside does anyone have experience with water-based finishes for floors?

Help me smell pretty in halter tops!

birdlady — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:48:32 -0800

Why do I have body odor when I wear sleeveless things, and how can I prevent this? I always see people running around in tank tops and strapless dresses. I've never noticed any of them having body odor, not even at outdoor events on hot days. However, I can't even wear a sleeveless top in a cool room without noticing body odor within 15 mins or so. This is embarrassing, and also limits my clothing choices since most non-tshirt options with sleeves tend to be matronly. Btw, I'm NOT looking for clothing suggestions, that was just an example.

The problem isn't sweat, this happens even when I'm perfectly dry. Nonetheless, I have tried certain-dri, clinical strength secret and all the other extra-strong antiperspirant options with no success. I've experimented with all non-prescription brands (do they even make prescription deodorant? I know about prescription antiperspirant) for men and women, in all formulations: roll on, stick, gel stick and aerosol. Nothing seems to make a difference, though aerosol seems to be slightly more effective.

My routine now is stick + aerosol, and I keep a small stick in my purse and "touch up" multiple times through out the day. Sometimes I use body wipes before I apply more, that doesn't seem to make a difference. At best, the touch-ups help mask the problem somewhat, but it does not prevent it.

Basic stats in case my age, health and diet are relevant: I'm female, 30, healthy, not overweight, well hydrated (hydration seemed to come up in previous B.O. questions), vegetarian, don't consume any more garlic, onions or pungent spices than the next person. I don't like many dairy items, so my dairy intake is limited. My diet typically consists of fruit, veggies, water, grains and beans. I don't drink coffee and have a soda or two a week. I'm not a health freak, just a picky eater. The only medications I take are OTC allergy pills and advil when needed.

So, I'm curious about why this happens, and if this happens to everyone but somehow everyone else has a better method to deal with it. More than knowing why it happens, I'd like suggestions about what I can do to prevent this!!

My basement smells of decaying fruit. Help!

mygothlaundry — Thu, 07 May 2009 07:56:36 -0800

My basement smells like rotting fruit. What is causing it and, since I'm thinking it needs dehumidifying, any dehumidifier tips or recommendations? I moved into my 1966 house in October. The basement is finished; i.e., it's not really a basement, it functions more as the first floor of the house - 2 bedrooms, a bathroom, a laundry room. The house is built into a hill, so the basement level is completely underground on one side and half underground on the other two sides. The people who owned my house before me were enthusiastic if not completely skillful remodelers and they turned the basement into living space - it has concrete floors painted blue, a couple of windows, one room composed completely of glass doors and, well, it's hard to describe. There is not a lot of ventilation - a couple of sliding glass doors, one window.

All would be well except that there is this terrible sort of rotting fruit smell down there. If I leave all the windows and doors open the smell goes away for a while or at least recedes, but I can't leave them open while I'm sleeping or at work. It went away after I mopped the entire floor with pine sol, too, but then it came back.

We've had a lot of rain recently and it's very bad at the moment. I mean it smells like someone has been making pruno or something down there; like a still, like a giant heap of rotting fruit. Has anyone ever encountered this before? What could be causing it? Is it something scary, like black mold? It doesn't smell like mold and there's no visible mold or mildew anywhere.

I'm going to go buy a dehumidifier and see if that works. I know nothing about dehumidifiers, which brings me to the second part of this question: do I need one or two? It's about 800 square feet total. What should I be looking for? How often will I have to empty it (them)? And, should I be looking for any specific brands?

If it smells like a pig, do we have to make a joke about it being pork?

katyjack — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:35:20 -0800

Now that the swine flu has become an issue, is there a way to see if the "pig odor" part of the stimulus bill and such a joke on the media for a few days might have contained money to study things like containing swine flu outbreaks? So, I was a little incensed for a few days a couple months back over the whole "Obama's Stimulus Bill contains so much pork it even studies pig odor" stuff that John McCain put out and the media picked up because a while ago I read a whole article about industrial hog farms and the trouble and environmental nightmares they cause for their neighbors and therefore I consider myself an expert on the subject.

Of course, it wasn't funny after a few days and I've had a heck of time finding out if it made it into the bill and now I'd like to know a) did it? and b) what exactly were the funds to be used for? I know some money was to be used to try to handle the problem of the waste run-off which is a big problem and a health hazard.

So what's a good place to search for unbiased info on this topic? I've found a few blog posts but they so clearly had left or right agendas, there's no way I could cite them. I'm looking for someplace I can find just the facts, ma'am and to my complete amazement that seems difficult on the Internet! Who would have thought?

FYI - I'm looking for this so I can use it in my own totally biased blog post.

Has drinking coffee changed the way I smell?

mai — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:15:06 -0800

Has drinking coffee changed the way I smell? I started drinking coffee regularly about two months ago. I don't drink that much, maybe 1 or 2 cups per day of coffee that I brew at home. Since then, I have noticed a change in the way I smell. And it's not a good change. Can I reasonably attribute this to the coffee? Has anyone else experienced this? Is there anything I can do about it?

But Mom it is totally legal!

Anonymous — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 21:54:00 -0800

How do I cover up cigar smoke in my clothing? Legal age, but would rather not explain to the parents. I'm 18, a high school senior, and want to share some cigars with friends, but my parents aren't too keen on the idea. My mom has a sensitive nose, and while it is unlikely that she'll be hugging me when I get home she can normally smell my cigar smoke on my dad from 5-10 ft away. Any suggestions as to how to cover up the smell?
Taking a change of clothes when I'm going out is an option but it is likely that she'd still smell it in the laundry.

The Smell That Came from the Walls!

DavidNYC — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:46:20 -0800

A terrible, B.O.-like smell emanates from a room in our house at odd intervals. I have a half-baked theory, which we seem to have confirmed tonight. Is it at all plausible? If yes, what can we do about it? If not, what else could it be? First, to dispense with the obvious, no, I swear, it is neither myself nor my lovely wife who is the source of this smell, nor does it appear to be coming from anything we own. And it seems to come and go unpredictably - it might be months between assaults.

One friend suggested it might be a dead, decaying rodent inside the walls. But that wouldn't explain the on-off nature of the problem. However, I did notice something. Ordinarily, the incandescent, single-bulb floor lamp in the room is turned to 50 watts. Sometimes, when I need more light, I'll turn it up to 100 watts. (It's one of those three-way bulbs.) The appearance of the smell seems to correlate with the brighter light!

So could it be that a dead rat is getting fried a little extra-crispy whenever I crank up the juice? We've never had a rodent or even a roach problem, though. So could it be something else inside the walls - perhaps even the wiring itself? Do any common building materials smell like B.O. when they heat or burn? (We live in a regular old apartment building - I couldn't tell you what's inside the walls, or even what they're made of, but they ain't too thick.) Also, I checked - there's nothing actually inside the lamp that I can see which is smoking/burning (like a dead bug).

We tested out my theory tonight and indeed, the room started to smell after just a few minutes. (We turned down the light before it could get too pungent - the smell can have some serious staying power.) So, is my theory totally cockamamie? If I'm wrong, what might it be? And regardless, is there anything we can do to abate the problem, short of ripping open the walls?

Deodorant Questions

Anonymous — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:35:28 -0800

Tell me about deodorant. As someone in my 20s, I feel silly asking these questions, but I've never been able to smell myself very well and therefore don't really know how to answer them.

1. Which deodorants brands and types are generally most effective?
2. For deodorant sticks, how many swipes do you use under each armpit? (Swipe = 1 motion, up or down.)
3. Besides asking a friend, is there any way to tell if you stink?

Cat Scratch Filter

adamrice — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 10:44:05 -0800

My wife and I have built a cat condo, and we'd like to wrap part of it in sisal rope to serve as a scratching post. All sisal rope found in stores (near as I can tell) has been treated with something that gives it a reek similar to vaseline, probably to keep it supple. We have found a couple of online sources of untreated sisal, but they are A) about 10x the price, and B) out of sisal right now anyhow. We are wondering if the regular stinky store-bought stuff would pose a health hazard to our cats. The cat condo stays on our screened-in porch, so the odor isn't a great concern. I haven't found any MSDSs for sisal rope so far.

My car vents stink. How can I get rid of the smell?

benzenedream — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 01:05:01 -0800

My car vents stink. How can I get rid of the smell? Turning on the fan (either A/C or heat) gives out a blast of foul air for the first minute or so, then the smell goes away. It does not smell like chemicals or anything burning, more like some sweat socks have been cooking on the radiator. I've cleaned and febrezed the car so the interior smells fine, except when I turn on the vents. Is there an easy way to de-stink them without taking it to a mechanic? Peroxide based cleaners?

I'm hoping there are no dead squirrels hiding out in my engine.

Washing off the special vagina smell

monkey85 — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:45:28 -0800

Help me wash off that special smell that comes from going down on a girl.... Many (most?) guys and surely all girls know that there's a rather distinct organic odor that vaginas have. The problem is that it seems rather difficult to wash off the smell from my mouth area and fingers despite showers and hand-washing. It just lingers for a couple days. But I can't imagine kissing my parents if there's any lingering odor around my mouth, or without a serious fear that they'll smell this on me...which I think is pretty weird.

I'd like to be able to shake hands/kiss people/act normal right after cunning (after cleaning up).

Anyone have advice on successfully washing off this special smell?

Thanks!

My feet stink!

Anonymous — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 18:04:03 -0800

My feet stink, all of a sudden, and I can't figure out why! About 6 months ago, all of a sudden, my feet started to smell very strongly for the first time in my life. Before this, I had never had foot odor of any kind before, even when I exercised and got sweaty. Now, even when I'm not sweaty, my feet smell terrible. I'm not any sweatier than usual, just smellier, and only my feet smell different. The smell is very strong, and it smells terrible.

They even smell right after I get out of the shower. Not as strongly, but I can smell that foot odor smell, and it gets stronger throughout the day. My socks smell terrible at the end of the day. When I take my shoes off at the end of the day, you can smell my socks from across the room. Even if I wear sandals or go barefoot, my feet smell bad. All of my shoes now smell bad permanently.

Oddly, my roommate developed foot odor around the same time, but she thinks hers is because she started taking a new medication that has sweating and body odor as side effects. I bring it up only because it's a weird coincidence, but I can't imagine how it could be related. I have not made any changes to diet or medication. I'm totally healthy (female, late 20s, exercise regularly, eat lots of veggies and very little meat, etc.). Why is this happening to me all of a sudden?

I've read all of the questions about how to deal with foot odor generally, and I've been doing some of those things, but nothing seems to work. I'm particularly frustrated that my feet even smell when clean, so I can't even wash it away temporarily.

Can anyone explain why this is happening to me and what I can do to reverse it? What would make a person's feet start to smell all of a sudden? How can I make it go away? Are there medications I can take, or vitamins or herbs, or special soaps, or magic spells? At this point, I'd try almost anything.

Something is rotten in my state (not Denmark).

Unicorn on the cob — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:43:43 -0800

Last Wednesday I was assaulted by a foul smell in my front (guest) bathroom. I have been trying to pinpoint the cause for several days. I'm about to go out of town and need advice on what to do, especially since I'm extremely broke and have tried all the usual methods of attack. Details inside... Thursday I noticed there was a bit of a poo smell going on in the front bathroom. Often, it takes two flushes, and I assumed the toilet was clogged. I plunged, cleaned, plunged, etc. and then lit a candle. I never use those drop-in toilet cleaners.

Friday the smell was WORSE. It smelled like sewage. I did my due diligence; I read up as to what the various causes may be and bought every cleaner imaginable. I opened up the drains and did the vinegar/baking soda clean on all of them.

Saturday, the smell was better... I followed it along the ground until I realized it was emanating from the bathtub drain.

Once again, removed all fittings possible, dumped some special drain cleaner (a green product specifically for drains, no lye, no bleach) down the hole, several pots of boiling water, etc.

Went around and checked every other spot in the house; there is no smell except in the front bathroom. Ran water in every sink, tub, shower, etc. to ensure there were no dry traps.

The smell has now dwindled from a sewer-gas smell to simply a musty, sort of unpleasant dust-like odor. Stale, but not poo-ish or sewer-gassy. (To contrast, when I came home on Friday, when I opened the front door I SMELLED SEWER. FROM SEVERAL FEET AWAY, WITH THE DOOR TO THE BATHROOM CLOSED.)

My house was built in 2003. The drain is at floor level and the tub/shower are completely surrounded by stone and concrete. I have crawled, literally, with my nose shoved along the edge of the toilet, sink, wall, everywhere in that bathroom and it is coming up out of the drain. As of right now it smells musty and vinegar-y just a bit from all the treatments I've done. The smell is now confined to just the bathroom and is severely diminished.

I have no idea where the pipe is that goes to the roof. There is nothing under my house, it's on a concrete slab foundation. There are no signs of dampness or leaks anywhere in the walls, around the tub, around the toilet, around the sink, etc.

The shower liner is immaculate. I opened the closet door that shares the wall with the tub/shower. The inside of the closet is dry, smells pleasant, no dampness. I took a knife and pried up a bit of the carpet that runs along the wall that is shared with the drain... no dampness, nothing. Even shoved my fingers up under the wall right now where I'd pried the carpet; I feel/smell nothing. Flashlight showed everything is white and normal-looking just opposite the smell.

What I'm asking is... did an animal possibly get trapped somewhere and die? If so, can I just leave and come back assured that the smell will probably be gone? I'm in Texas and the temps are expected between 40-77F over the next week.

I really don't think it's mold. I am extremely sensitive to such things and take daily medication for allergies, and have yet to sneeze or itch at all, even with my nose shoved into the drain.

At this point were I not about to leave for 3-4 days and severely broke, I'd probably just call a plumber. My trip is non-refundable and was paid for in advance, so I can't change plans and use the money for a plumber. Also, I'm concerned that I'll call somebody and they will either tell me 1. I have something terrible going on and they have to tear the wall apart and the bill will be several thousand dollars, which I cannot pay or be here to supervise, or 2. it's nothing, a mouse died somewhere, I'll have to wait it out (plus pay $150 for a house call at a weird hour that resulted in nothing).

What say you, MeFi homeowners? What would you do?

I see a black wall, and I want it painted white

malp — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:23:58 -0800

Can I seal the inside surface of an exterior brick wall in my house without trapping moisture in the brick or in the insulation? I own a 1920s brick house in philly w/ some fire damage. The sellers didn't disclose the damage, so I didn't learn of it until the dog days of summer when the place started to stink of smoke. The fire started in the first floor kitchen and smoked the two rooms immediately above it. I tore down most of the plaster and lath in the two rooms and sealed the joists and studs with bin shellac.

How do I treat the exterior brick wall? The brick is blackened and has a faint char smell. A local restoration contractor said he would paint over the brick, frame out and insulate the walls, and omit a vapor a barrier on the warm side of the wall. That way, the paint would double as a vapor barrier. I'm worried condensation would collect against the painted brick during the winter and grow mold. Is this a valid concern? Instead, could I leave the brick untouched, and try sealing the odor by shellac'in the drywall? That way, the vapor barrier would be on the correct side of the insulation and any odor would be trapped within the wall cavity. OR, should I just pay to have the brick soda-blasted?

Just FYI, I sent the sellers a demand letter and am waiting their response before taking them to small claims court.

How to keep cats from bombing our yard?

canine epigram — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:00:05 -0800

How do I keep cats from crapping in our front yard? A neighbor down the street (we suspect old lady, we never see her) has several cats, some apparently (or maybe just one - we never catch the culprits in the act) who use our small patch of front garden as a litterbox. It stinks up the front walk something terrible.

An automatic sprinkler or something would be awesome, but that's not really feasible.

I've done some googling, but a lot of the results seem heavily anecdotal or folklorish - I'm looking for real solutions, and it's hard to tell which have basis in fact, and which are just wishful thinking.

tiny vials of ammonia? (won't that stink too?) buy coyote pee? or bobcat urine? (mentioned in an earlier askme - where the heck do I find that in an urban area?) coffee grounds?

Please, help us, MetaFilter, you're our only hope!

Help for a musty room?

aladfar — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 14:46:20 -0800

Help for a chronically musty room? Though I keep my bedroom clean, organized and vacuumed it's always got an "old closet" smell. It's not terrible, but it's definitely noticeable upon entering. Any tricks for getting rid of it? The catch: I don't want to cover things up with another scent - I just don't want it to smell at all. I think part of the problem has to do with airflow. Even if I open every window in the apartment, my room doesn't get much air. It's like a little dead zone. An air filter I inherited helps a bit, but not much.

Can I leave a box of baking soda around? Would a better air filter (this one looks quite cool) work? Are there products that pets or smokers use that would help?

How long does it take a couch to stop offgassing?

sebastienbailard — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 21:27:18 -0800

How long does it take a couch to stop offgassing? I assembled a new Ikea Karlstad sofa five days ago, and while the odor has decreased a bit, it still smells. Worse, there's some VOC that irritates my nose and throat after I sit on it for half an hour or so, which is rather worrying. (My wife gets the same 'acrid feeling' too.) Bonus questions and info:

Are Ikea Karlstad couches especially bad? (I purchased mine up here in Ottawa, Ontario, if regionalization matters).

Are my cats in danger? They're in love with it.

Am I going to die, Doc?

Any guesses what chemical it is, and would it be the foam or the particleboard?